Lexington, KY vs Denver, CO: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Denver, CO has a modeled overall cost index 18.3% higher than Lexington, KY.

Lexington, KY · modeled 2BR rent: $1,390 / month
Denver, CO · modeled 2BR rent: $2,190 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Lexington, KY and Denver, CO using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Lexington, KY

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $1,563/month in Denver, CO

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $168,759 in Denver, CO

Regional cost estimates: Denver, CO uses Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 18.3%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$1,563

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$18.8K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Lexington, KY

Population:323K

Cost Index:

93.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$345K

Denver, CO

Population:716K

Cost Index:

110.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$513K

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Lexington, KY

The Bluegrass State

323K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Kentucky, this city has a population of 323K residents.

Denver, CO

The Centennial State

716K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Climate

Semi-arid

Notable Facts

•Mile-high city (5,280 ft)
•Outdoor recreation hub
•Major cannabis market

Major Industries

AerospaceTechnologyEnergyTourism

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Lexington, KY vs Denver, CO

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Lexington, KY	Denver, CO	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,446/mo	$3,398/mo	↑ $951more	38.9%
Transportation	$1,272/mo	$1,529/mo	↑ $257more	20.2%
Other	$1,716/mo	$1,856/mo	↑ $140more	8.2%
Healthcare	$577/mo	$661/mo	↑ $84.25more	14.6%
Groceries	$1,003/mo	$1,077/mo	↑ $73.16more	7.3%
All Utilities	$486/mo	$543/mo	↑ $57.15more	11.8%

Housing

↑ 38.9%

Lexington, KY

$2,446

Denver, CO

$3,398

Difference

$951

Transportation

↑ 20.2%

Lexington, KY

$1,272

Denver, CO

$1,529

Difference

$257

Other

↑ 8.2%

Lexington, KY

$1,716

Denver, CO

$1,856

Difference

$140

Healthcare

↑ 14.6%

Lexington, KY

$577

Denver, CO

$661

Difference

$84.25

Groceries

↑ 7.3%

Lexington, KY

$1,003

Denver, CO

$1,077

Difference

$73.16

All Utilities

↑ 11.8%

Lexington, KY

$486

Denver, CO

$543

Difference

$57.15

🏛️ Local Income Taxes

Lexington, KY: Lexington Occupational Tax$3,750/yr (2.5%)

Denver, CO: Denver Head Tax ($5.75/mo, negligible)$69.00/yr (0.0%)

Net difference-$3,681/yr

Local taxes are shown separately and are not included in the living-cost totals. Coverage is incomplete; an absent entry does not establish that no tax applies.

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$960

To$1,720

↑ $760

1 Bed

From$1,180

To$1,840

↑ $660

2 Bed

From$1,390

To$2,190

↑ $800

3 Bed

From$1,900

To$2,870

↑ $970

Lexington, KYZIP-level data

1BR range: $940–$1,500/mo

Denver, COZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,620–$2,540/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Lexington, KY

$9,063

Monthly in Denver, CO

$1,563

Difference

Home Values

Lexington

Denver

$345K

Median Value

$513K

↑ +5%

YoY Change

↓ -4.2%

↑ +43.5%

5-Year Change

↑ +13%

$214K - $711K

Price Range

$352K - $933K

Homes in Denver are 49% more expensive than Lexington

Calculate payment - Lexington Calculate payment - Denver

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $900

Per year

Monthly Difference

$75.00

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.6%

Rate difference

Lexington, KY

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Kentucky State Tax

Effective: 5.0%

$7.5K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.7%

$44.5K

Take-Home Pay

$8,791/month

$105.5K

Denver, CO

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Colorado State Tax

Effective: 4.4%

$6.6K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.1%

$43.6K

Take-Home Pay

$8,866/month

$106.4K

Additional Tax Information

Lexington, KY Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.0%

Property Tax:0.9%

Denver, CO Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.8%

Property Tax:0.5%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

🚶 Walkability

Modeled road attributes, not a safety assessment. Methodology and limitations

Lexington, KY

27/100

1.1% sidewalk tags · 2.9% cycling tags

Denver, CO

32/100

1% sidewalk tags · 3.5% cycling tags

Environment

Lexington

Denver

41 Good

Air Quality

55 Moderate

79.2%

Good Air Days

35.2%

92 Moderate

Climate Risk

95 High

🌪💨

Top Hazards

🌊🌪💨

▲+3.0°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.3°F

21 days

Heat Days >95°F

28 days

▲+3.0°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.3°F

21 days

Heat Days >95°F

28 days

Before moving from Lexington, KY to Denver, CO

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Denver, CO for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Lexington, KY. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Lexington to Denver moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Denver, CO by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Lexington, KY vs Denver, CO

How do the cost estimates for Lexington, KY and Denver, CO compare?

Denver, CO has a modeled overall cost index 18.3% higher than Lexington, KY. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Lexington, KY, the model estimates $168,759 in Denver, CO. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Lexington, KY and Denver, CO?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,390/month in Lexington, KY and $2,190/month in Denver, CO. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Kentucky and Colorado on TaxTakeHome.com